would you take a car to the track that needs a little maintenance?
 

I'm at 140k, and need to do a timing belt. This will be my first track event btw.

I will probably live right?

If you go, your list of to-dos will most likely grow. A lot.

the track will show you exactly what your car is made out of....exactly why I always have down-time afterwards ;) but you should be ok, the worse part of it is substained high rpms.

track days will reveal whatever weakness you never noticed before on the car

I think my car is pretty solid. It has good brakes, rubber, all new belts aside from the one in question, new rubber all over, coilvoers, had it cornered and aligned today, sparco seat, harness, fluids...what else do I need?

I'm kinda thinking I should hold off, and do a driving school when I get back in town in march.

Bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. If it is still original, the cooling system may let you down some.

If we could predict what else could go wrong, then we'd never have troubles.

all freshened up over the summer.

Then you're one step ahead of me ;)

I wouldn't let the timing belt hold me up. It's a non interference engine, so even if it did snap, you'll need a tow--not a motor.

but my daily still doesn't run. I have all the parts in the garage to do it, I'm just lazy and only in town for 2 weeks.

Has the tb been changed once already? Many people go 100k intervals, some just wait until whenever it snaps.

The incedence of tb failure is unlikely. The incedence of having fun is absolute. You're throwing the dice, betting against other failures, but that's just part of the fun. Like getting a bj from a girl you've never seen before at a club without asking her name first.

its an afternoon job if you want to do it, hell I could probably do it in 4 hours of less now.

hell, taking a DIY turbo car to a track day is asking a lot of it.

that's why I brought 23098473 spare exhaust bolts and nuts.

car backfires like nuts when it has no downpipe. :D

I hope, but don't know. I bought the car at 130k.

you'll be fine. Worst case the belt grenades and you tow it home

or i could just change the belt tomorrow. I just got in town though, and I don't really want to work on cars.


thanks for the advice.

usually they are a crap-load of spec miata guys willing to help you for parts if you are in a jam....if seen someone swap out a diff that was blown on Sat., abused on sunday...and swapped back that afternoon.

Pull the cam cover, rotate the crank manually and inspect the belt. Then make a decision.

if the belt is going to go it's going to go. I wouldn't sweat it.